118 ACROSS THE SUB-ARCTICS OF CANADA. 



were formed of dark Huronian schists and clay. The 

 schists were chiefly micaceous and hornblendic, such as 

 those occurring about the Lake of the Woods, and were 

 found dipping at high angles. 



Four or five miles to the east was a conspicuous 

 range of snow-covered hills, probably six hundred feet 

 in height, while between them and the river appeared a 

 broad plateau, or a high level lake which of the two we 

 could not determine from the river bank. Time would 

 not permit of our making side investigations when it 

 was possible to be travelling, so on we sped, pulling at 

 the paddles as well as being hurried along by the 

 current. Thus for a time we made good progress, and 

 as the long miles were quickly passed the spirits of our 

 little party were cheered. 



Late in the forenoon, as we were rounding a bend in 

 the river, an Eskimo in his kyack was sighted ahead, 

 and much to our amusement he was soon much farther 

 ahead. The poor fellow, seeing our fleet of canoes, and 

 being himself alone, evidently thought his safest move 

 was to get out of the way, and this he did, leaving us- 

 farther behind at every stroke, though we were doing 

 our best to catch him. 



I shouted to him in his native tongue, but it was of 

 no use ; he did not slacken his pace until, some distance 

 down the river, he reached an Eskimo encampment 

 of several topicks. Here he landed, hauled up his 

 kyack, and informed the other natives of our approach. 

 All eyes keenly watched us. As we drew nearer they 

 soon observed by our canoes and personal appearance 

 that we were not Indians, as they had supposed, but 

 were " Kudloonahs " (white men), the friends of the Eski- 



